Unit 2 - Lesson 5 (Neuroplasticity) Flashcards
what is Brain Plasticity?
Brain’s ability to change and adapt in response to experience
Plasticity = brain’s malleability
Neuro = neurons, the nerve cells that are building blocks of the brain and nervous system
What is the point of neuropathways?
Brain is experiencing something for the first time → ex. Talking first step (build pathways so you can do it tomorrow and the day after)
What is synaptic pruning?
Eliminate pathways that are unnecessary or not used anymore (like all parts of our childhood, it gets foggy) → synaptic pruning
What is the difference between now and before on ideas of the brain?
- Historically neurogenesis, or creation of new neurons was believed to stop shortly after birth → as we are born with most of our brain cells
- Today, brain’s neuroplasticity allows it to reorganize pathways, create new connection, and even new neurons
What are the 2 types of brain plasticity?
- structural
experiences or memories change a brain’s physical structure - functional
brain functions move from damaged area to undamaged areas
How does neuroplasticity work?:
- First few years, thousands of neuropathways are created → also thinking, feeling, seeing, not just function (like physical)
- At birth, every neuron in the cerebral cortex has an estimated 2500 synapses (which is where neurons (brain cells) connect to each other, electric current is sent from one to another, that is synapses → the brain you use it, the stronger it is)
- By around age 3, children have around 1500 synapses
- Average adult only has half the # of synapses a child has:
a) As we gain new experiences, some connections are strengthened while others are eliminated → synaptic pruning
Why are some areas of brain more adaptive than others?
- Sensory and motor areas seem to be the most adaptive
- A developing brain has much greater plasticity than that of an adult
Difference between child brain and adult brain:
- As a child → brain is more able to change or have more plasticity → easier to recover or even learn a language
- As an adult it is harder
What is compensation?
- Person loses one sensory modality other sense can compensate and take over → so you still have that function
- Teaching ways to adapt, modify or change the method to perform the tasks
a) May involve modifying the environment, training the family members or caregivers - Compensation involves the brain’s ability to recruit other neurons in other regions of the nervous system
What is adaptive plasticity?
- Refers to changes occurring in the brain’s neural structure:
1. To enable adjustment to experience
2. To compensate for lost function
3. Maximize remaining functions in the event of brain damage
Why do we feel pain?
We need the sensation of pain to let us know when our bodies need extra care. It’s an important signal. When we sense pain, we pay attention to our bodies and can take steps to fix what hurts. Pain also may prevent us from injuring a body part even more.
What factors influence injuries?
- Brains and other biological responses to the injury
- Located and degree of injury
- The age of the person
What happens with you get damaged from injuries?
- Nerve cells do not regrow, rather other neurons take over the functions
- When a particular brain area is damaged other brain can take up the slack → happens when people recover from brain damage
How does brain adapt negatively?
- Brain plasticity can be problematic when it allows changes caused by substance use, disease, or trauma (ex; PTSD)
a) When people are using substances, it changes chemical make up in brain, does not have same response rate → environment plays a role
- Prolong use of drugs or alcohol can affect ability to response quickly, sense, etc
- Disease → going through particular experiences can trigger certain areas of brain when does not need to or does not react when you need to
- Medical conditions can limit or hinder brain plasticity
